


Tether

by Burgie



Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-29
Updated: 2018-09-29
Packaged: 2019-07-20 10:29:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16135370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: Daine discovers a devastating secret. Daine belongs to HellishSam, Willow belongs to willownorthbook, Roo belongs to fieldingfreja, Elsa belongs to twracehorse, and Isabella belongs to space-unicorn-dot.





	Tether

**Author's Note:**

  * For [HellishSam](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HellishSam/gifts).



The new race that Ydris had devised at the circus was fun. Very fun. It almost got a rare smile out of Daine, as he saw his friends transformed into all different kinds of horses- a golden Lusitano, a dark blue Welsh pony with a coat shimmering with stars, a turquoise Connemara with aquatic features (it seemed fine, though, despite the laws of nature stating that it should have died in the air), a large black Jorvik Wild horse with flaming mane, tail and eyes, and a purple North Swedish burning with Pandorian energy. And just as Ydris had promised, there was no pain in the transformation, other than the slight pain that always nagged in Daine's back when Ydris used his magic. At the completion of the race, they were always transformed painlessly back into their human forms, and Daine could almost believe that it had been a dream.

As his friends joked around and gathered around the enchanted race board to start another race, however, Willow looked at him strangely.

"What?" asked Daine, checking over his shoulder to make sure that his scar wasn't bleeding through his hoodie. It wasn't, thankfully.

"Nothing," said Willow, her eyes darting back to the race board. "Get back over here, I wanna see if I can be something other than the bloody golden horse this time." Daine snorted, dismounting Cloud and leaving him by Ydris as he walked over to the group of friends.

This time, the purple horse gave a relieved-sounding whinny, and Daine knew that Willow's wish had been granted. Ydris had probably heard her, he was still trying to get on Willow's good side. Because, as he'd said, it would be awkward if Daine's friends hated him. Most unfortunate, he'd said. And honestly, Daine thought as he ran the race as the fishy steed, Willow had been more suspicious of Ydris than usual lately. Daine ignored her, though, deciding that he could make up his own mind about his boyfriend.

The race ended, leaving the five friends standing in front of Ydris.

"Well, my flock of birds, how was it?" asked Ydris, looking quite proud of himself.

"Thanks for changing my horse," said Willow, not meeting his gaze. Ydris smirked.

"Anything to change your mind, flighty dove," said Ydris. Willow seemed to be staring at something behind Daine, but, again, he couldn't see anything. Only the nature of Jorvik, and the road leading to the Harvest Counties.

"I'm the trophy wife here," said Isabella.

"Yeah, get in line," said Daine automatically. Sometimes, his jealousy burned like the fire that he could produce, but he was usually able to keep a lid on it. His friends all laughed, though, especially when he stepped towards Ydris and took his boyfriend's hand.

"Someday I'll get to see my real boyfriend and not just his horse," said Elsa. "Is this why he wasn't in Jorvik last year, because his horse turned back into a person?"

"Perhaps, little crow," said Ydris. He'd taken to giving all of Daine's friends bird pet names, after Daine had rejected his pet name of 'dove'. He was a phoenix, he was no dove.

"I'm only here because my girlfriend is busying studying," said Roo. She was 'hummingbird'.

"Yes, hummingbird, you say that all you like," said Ydris, smirking and winking at her. Roo raised her middle finger at him in return, to which Ydris chuckled.

"Wish we could stay but we've got a training route to stay on," said Elsa. She was usually training a new horse, and today was no exception. The circus had just been one small pitstop to relax and have some fun.

"I'll see you afterwards," said Daine, leaning up to kiss his boyfriend. Ydris' kiss lingered, his hands resting on Daine's hips.

"Don't stay away too long, now," said Ydris, his voice like velvet. "And do be careful, my phoenix. I worry about you so."

"Too much," said Daine with a roll of his eyes as he stepped away from his boyfriend.

As the group travelled down from Nilmer's Highland, headed towards Moorland Stables where the race tracks were, Willow rode beside Daine (slightly shorter on her pony, but never mind that). She was still glancing behind Daine every so often.

"What?" asked Daine, finally getting a little annoyed with it. "What are you staring at? Is it my back?"

"No," said Willow, looking at something above his head. Daine looked, but he still couldn't see anything.

"Alright then, don't tell me," said Daine.

"Yeah, you're right, it's probably nothing," said Willow. But she still looked uncertain.

"Hey, Willow, quick tip, don't talk to your horse out loud in public," said Daine. Willow shook her head, riding ahead of him.

Though Daine was confused, he decided not to dwell on it. Willow was just being weird, that was all. Nothing out of the ordinary there (though he wouldn't say it to her face, his leg still hurt from that chair incident).

For the most part, the group continued their group training session as normal. Elsa recorded everything on her jPro, ready to edit into a video and upload on her JorTube channel, everyone managed to train their horses a little more, and they had a great time chatting and laughing about the strange things that they'd seen in the circus (even if Willow still got a little prickly when that was brought up).

And then, on the way across the Fort Pinta bridge, Cloud's hoof slipped off the side and Daine found himself plunging towards the ground at a rapid rate. He screamed, fully expecting to hit the ground hard and then find himself somehow back on the bridge.

But it wasn't the sounds of the beach that Daine heard as his body quickly changed position. Instead, he was greeted by the soft whisper of the pine trees and the sound of many hoofbeats.

"Huh?" said Daine, opening his eyes to find that he was back on Nilmer's Highland. Had the training been a dream? But no, they'd stopped by Jorvik City Mall and he'd bought a new jean top, which he was still wearing.

"Hmm, very nice," said Ydris, tapping his chin with his fingers. "Though the jean top look doesn't really suit you, my phoenix. You look... hmm. Your muscles are very much on display."

"Yeah, that's why I bought it," said Daine, feeling even more confused. "Why... am I here? I was just near Fort Pinta, I fell off the bridge."

"Well, I did tell you to be careful," said Ydris. "Lucky for you, I took precautions."

"What precautions?" asked Daine, feeling just the tiniest touch of fear.

"Nothing," said Ydris, waving away his concern. "Return to your friends now, and be careful. And do wear that jean top tonight." He winked, and Daine gave him a thumbs up as he turned Cloud and headed over to the horse trailer.

Their training route took them all the way into Mistfall, where Daine had to pull his hoodie back on and reinforce the magic coating his scar so that it didn't get too painful from all of the Pandorian energy in the area. It was almost like radiation.

During the South Mistfall Forest race, though, Daine fell from his saddle when Cloud refused a jump. But it wasn't the dark green grass of Mistfall that he landed on. He looked up, alarmed, to see the caring face of his boyfriend. He scrambled to his feet, shaking slightly.

"Are you hurt?" asked Ydris, concern in his eyes as he bent and offered a hand to Daine. Daine didn't take it.

"What the fuck was that, huh?" said Daine. "You teleported me all the way from Mistfall? How? Why?"

"Well, after I had to rescue you from Pandoria, I grew rather... fond of you," said Ydris. "And worried about you. There are so many dangerous things on Jorvik, I don't want to see you hurt any worse than you already were."

"I can look after myself, thanks," said Daine, taking a step away from his boyfriend. For the first time since Ydris' grand reveal, he found himself scared of his boyfriend. He looked around, annoyed when he couldn't find Cloud, but then he heard a neigh and his beautiful horse landed beside him. Daine swung himself up into the saddle, riding away as fast as he could. He loved Ydris, and it was sweet that he cared, but this was scary. Knowing that Ydris could snap him to his side in an instant... it frightened him. He could be anywhere, doing anything, and Ydris could just summon him like a rabbit from a hat.

Daine slept in an inn that night, not wanting to be at home or anywhere that reminded him of his boyfriend. He fell asleep hugging his tear-soaked pillow. How was it that the one man who he loved, who he thought he could trust, could turn out to be so... scary? Maybe Willow was right to be suspicious of him. But now, it might be too late.

Though he'd fallen asleep upset, Daine felt entirely different when he awoke to the gentle sounds of pine trees and circus music outside his window. Something snapped inside him and Daine sat up in Ydris' bed, seeing red. At least he was clothed, still wearing the clothes that he'd worn yesterday. He stormed outside, leaving the floorboards smouldering in his wake.

"Ydris, what the fuck?" Daine snapped, glaring at the tall magician.

"Ah, mon cher, how did you sleep?" asked Ydris, apparently not seeing the murderous look on Daine's face or the fire at his fingertips.

"I fell asleep in an inn in Golden," said Daine. "How the hell am I here?" He gestured at where they stood on the Highland. "Did you come and kidnap me in the night?"

"I didn't touch you," said Ydris, looking hurt. Daine didn't care, he wanted him to hurt.

"I don't care!" said Daine. "It's not okay! I'm not just some possession, something that you can keep around. Which is probably how you see me, isn't it?" His heart was breaking even as he said the words. Ydris had made him feel so loved, so special, had it all just been a lie? Pretty words to make him stay around? Was this just a gilded cage, was it no better than a prison?

"Of course not, my phoenix," said Ydris, reaching a hand out to touch his shoulder. Daine slapped it away, igniting the cuff of Ydris' coat.

"And there it is, my," said Daine. "You don't own me."

"I'm sorry," said Ydris, uncharacteristically close to tears.

"Okay, I get it, you're worried about me," said Daine. "That's fine, that's normal. But this has gone too far." His voice was breaking, he was breaking. Almost the same way that he'd broken in Pandoria.

"Please, my phoenix, don't leave me like this," said Ydris, falling to his knees and taking both of Daine's hands in both of his, unmindful of the flames. "Please, this was a mistake. I will undo it, I promise, I will free you from the tether."

"Tether?" Daine repeated.

"I am surprised that you didn't see it before," said Ydris. "Those with the sight should be able to see..." Now he looked, and Daine felt himself go cold at the fact that Ydris looked exactly where Willow had been looking before. Daine didn't want to look. He knew that he'd only get hurt if he did. But he turned around.

Behind Daine, a tether stretched from his head to the spot exactly where he was standing. He ran, looking behind himself. The tether stretched. Daine tripped, and found himself back at the Highland. He looked up at Ydris, tears in his eyes.

"I am so, so sorry, my phoenix," said Ydris. "Can you ever forgive me for overstepping?" Daine's skin crawled. He got to his feet, shaking.

"I'm sorry, too," said Daine. "Sorry that I ever thought I could trust you."

"Then you leave me with no choice," Ydris whispered.

There was pain this time. The same pain from before, leaving Daine on his knees. His golden, horse knees. He lifted his head, giving a neigh that echoed over the mountains and was echoed from the throat of a dapple grey Lusitano down below. Below? Slowly, Daine climbed to his feet, his legs trembling like a newborn foal’s. He was in a cage, one that he'd seen a tiny grey foal in before. His legs still trembling, Daine took a step forward. Then another. Another.

And he looked down onto the circus. And screamed.

**Author's Note:**

> I was going to have Ydris explain himself but nah.


End file.
